Jude and Missy found that a layer of mud and grim was in the bottom of the fountain and the tiles were all covered with a grunge that refused to be removed. I came out and found them scooping the mud out of the bottom and trying to clear the drains of the fountain with a coat hanger which they soon named "Cody". Anyway, we managed to get the drains cleaned out and started spraying water into the fountain, and realized that this was going to take some heavy duty scrubbing to see any real progress, so I ran downstairs and asked Caleb to run out and buy some sponges with the green scrubby stuff on one side. He thought steel wool would work better, but we were afraid it might scratch the tile. Anyway, while he was gone we continued to do the best we could and sprayed on bleach and Simple Green hoping they would somehow loosen some of the grim.
Here are a couple of pics of Missy (my fellow Arkansan) and Jude (from England)beginning to spray down the fountain.
When Caleb returned with our green scrubbies and one steel wool scrubbie, we quickly realized that he was right. The green scrubbies were disintegrating within 5 or 10 minutes after cleaning only a couple of tiles. However, the steel wool was doing a great job and wasn't harming the tiles. Missy brought over a paint scrapper, and Jude used this for the tiles on the very bottom of the fountain. After a couple of hours, we had the fountain over half way clean (knowing it would not stay that way for long). However, it's always great to have a project where you see definite progress and get a certain feeling of accomplishment. And it was great weather and so much fun to be outside (barefoot) in the grass and mud. (The yard was a swamp by the time we finished.)
Here's I'm trying to get the grim off the top blue tiles. You can't really tell, but I'm barefoot in the muddy grass. I love the squish of mud between my toes!
Missy got down to business once we got the steel wool!
The next day we got to fellowship and the first song we sany was "Come Thou Fount". We all just smiled. It also gave us the name for our fountain...His name is Ebenezar.
The Fountain Girls with Ebenezar!
6 comments:
The fountain is huge! This is the first time I've seen a picture of it that had people in it. I was picturing this fountain not much larger than a bird bath. When you said someone wanted to sit in it, I thought "wouldn't it fall over." Then I saw the picture with Missy hosing it down. It's huge!! What a fun project! Looks like you guys were having a great time.
I'm with Elizabeth - I saw the first picture and thought, "Oh, that's a nice fountain," but then I saw the second picture with a person next to it! It's HUGE!
I love your expression in picture #6 - You look so happy. :)
Awesome pics! I am so glad I got to talk to you today. I am so happy that your life is going so well!!!
Mel
Your fountain looks like an upside down umbrella... if you tipped it the other way :)
I love it! And I love that it is jerry-rigged (sp?-is that even a word?) with a sprinkler! :)
kt, My mind went back in time to Muncie, IN. I will never forget the time Jennifer Kennedy cleaned the grime and encrusted "stuff" from a utility sink in the back of the store front. She didn't have the supplies you used, but used a coin to scrape it off. She was so proud! Were you on that trip. I think J&J were along, but not certain.
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